Desktop monitor
desktop monitor, displaying pulsar frequencies]] A desktop monitor is a personal computer console used as early as 2151 aboard starships and starbases by space-faring organizations such as Earth Starfleet and the Federation Starfleet, the Klingon Empire and the Cardassian Union. These devices were used for personal library computer retrieval and for visual communications. Desktop monitors were also commonly used by civillians living on such planets as Earth, Romulus and Cardassia. Earth Starfleet During the 22nd century, Earth Starfleet employed at least two styles of desktop monitor aboard its deep space vessels and at Starfleet Headquarters. Flat panel monitor monitor]] Used aboard such vessels as the NX-class starship ''Enterprise'' as early as 2151, flat panel monitors - similar to those utilized in the bridge consoles - were placed in all officers' quarters. Consisting of a simple touch-sensitive screen, this flat panel monitor was distinguished by two rows of gray and white buttons lining the bottom and left-hand side of the screen. As in future incarnations, this monitor allowed the user a wide variety of data retrieval as well as log recording, and access to subspace communications, enabling face-to-face conference. These monitors were also in use at Starfleet Headquarters, San Francisco, Earth, during the 22nd century. (ENT: "Broken Bow") :The monitors seen mounted on the bulkheads and consoles on ''Enterprise, as well as those used by Captain Archer and his crew in their quarters, were simple plasma screen monitors, owned today by many PC users. These monitors cost the producers around $4,000 (US) each (according to Star Trek Communicator magazine) and were simply decorated to look futuristic. The power indicator lights (either blue or green) are clearly visible on most of the screens aboard Enterprise as are small strips of black tape used to cover the brand name label. The buttons lining the monitors are also commerically available - they are 3M Tapered Square Bumpons, adhesive-backed polyurethane buttons that can be used as feet for items that might scratch the surfaces they are placed upon. The small silver and blue jewel at the top center of the monitor is believed to be a camera, though this has never been explicitly stated. Three-sided monitor Also used at Earth Starfleet Headquarters, San Fancisco as early as 2154 was a distinct, three-sided monitor. Found in conference rooms, this multifaceted monitor featured three display screens, arranged in a triangluar shape and allowing multiple users to view data siumultaneously. It also featured a touch-sensitive screen and a small row of buttons just beneath the display. (ENT: "Home") :A throwback to [[Star Trek: The Original Series|''The Orignal Series]], this tri-sided monitor appeared only once on Enterprise, clearly intended to be the predecessor of the monitor seen on TOS. :This monitor appeared only once, during Captain Archer's debriefing at Headquarters following his return home from the conflict with the Xindi. Federation Starfleet Throughout the 23rd and 24th centuries, the United Federation of Planets and its Starfleet utilized varying styles of monitors, some based on function, with others differing only in aesthetics. 23rd century Standard monitor at a monitor in 2266]] A standard desktop monitor employed as early as 2366 aboard such Federation vessels as the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise]], a Constitution-class ship, was a large, free-standing model. Sitting on a heavy base in which tapes could be inserted, this desktop viewer featured a large monitor, blue-gray in color. (TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I") Three-sided monitor Also in service aboard Constitution-class starships, a three-sided monitor, similar in design to those used a century earlier by Earth Stafleet, was often found in a Federation starship's briefing room. Resembling the top portion of the single-faceted viewer, this three-sided monitor featured screens facing away from each other in three directions and sat on a conference table aboard such ships as the Enterprise. It could be controlled by button pads embedded in the tabletop. (TOS: "Mudd's Women") 24th century Galaxy-class Toddman on Picard's monitor]] Common aboard Galaxy-class starships such as the ''Enterprise''-D - as well as other ships commissioned during the 2360s - a black-and-white monitor was available for use in many personal spaces aboard ship. Used in such areas as crew quarters and in the captain's ready room, these small desktop monitors were often black-and-white, or white-and-black in color. Marked by a square, touch sensitve monitor and a rounded keyboard area, these monitors were distinguished by white or black buttons and white or black stripes. These monitors were capable of a wide variety of functions, utilizing the LCARS network common aboard Starfleet vessels in the 24th century. They were also sometimes used for secure communications. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") :While Captain Picard was most often seen using his black desktop interface in his ready room, white monitors were located in Doctor Crusher's office in sickbay as well as in Counselor Troi's office. These monitors were used exclusively on ''The Next Generation, seen not only on the Enterprise-D, but also the [[USS Phoenix|USS Phoenix]] in "The Wounded". Starbases 's desktop monitor at DS9]] Utilized by Starfleet personnel serving on Federation starbases and at Federation colonies such as starbase Deep Space 9 and the Volon III colony, a large desktop monitor was available as early as 2369. Metallic silver in color, this style of monitor featured an irregular, square shape with display and input areas of roughly the same size. Some models featured additional button pads as well as ports capable of reading isolinear rods. Despite the common use of other styles of desktop viewer, this type was available for use aboard such Starfleet vessels as the Intrepid-class [[USS Bellerophon (NCC-74705)|USS Bellerophon]] and at Starfleet Headquarters. (DS9: "Dax", "The Maquis, Part I", "Homefront", "Paradise Lost", "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges") :There is no established, in-universe reason why Deep Space 9 personnel seemed to only use this style of monitor, even when they weren't on Deep Space 9. :''While the TNG version remained confined to that series, the ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine model appeared after the end of that series, as an alien monitor in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Critical Care". Intrepid-class ]] In service during their launch during the early 2370s, Intrepid-class starships such as the [[USS Voyager|USS Voyager]] were equipped with yet another style of desktop monitor. Ranging in color from gray to green, these monitors were also used in personal areas, as well as in sickbay and consisted of a rounded design, consistent with the aesthetics of the Intrepid-class. As with previous designs, this style monitor was used aboard other vessels, including the Sovereign-class ''Enterprise''-E. (VOY: "Caretaker", Star Trek: Insurrection) :Though it's difficult to make out, the same style of desktop monitor used on ''Star Trek: Voyager appears in Counselor Troi's office aboard the Enterprise-E in Star Trek: Insurrection. Sovereign-class in 2373]] For officers serving aboard Sovereign-class vessels in the 2370s, several styles of desktop computer terminals were available. Among them was the style commonly used aboard Intrepid-class starships, with several others in use. One such style featured a monitor that laid flush against its base, rising up when activated by the user, or when recieving an in-coming comminique. Such a monitor was used by Enterprise-E captain Jean-Luc Picard as early as 2373 until it was replaced some time around 2375 by a stationary model. (Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection) :Captain Picard's stationary monitor was created, according to Terry J. Erdmann's ''The Making of Star Trek: Insurrection, because its First Contact counterpart took so long to move up and down. By the year 2379, both such desktop monitors had been replaced in the captain's ready room by a single, flat-panel viewer that existed as part of the desktop and rose up when activated from a small control panel embedded in the desk. In use aboard Sovereign-class quarters during that time was yet another style of flat-panel monitor, this one free-standing and silver in color. (Star Trek Nemesis) :With the advent of plasma screen monitors about the size of the non-functional desktop monitor props of TNG, DS9 and ''Voyager, the producers of Star Trek Nemesis incorporated them into the sets of the Enterprise-E. Slightly larger in size than the monitors seen in the preceding two films, these plasma screens were functional, allowing more action to take place on screen. Earth civillian Romulan Cardassian Small monitor Desktop viewscreen Klingon